Underneath the ivy

Early adopters of district energy, Ivy League schools continue expanding and improving their underground distribution networks.

Ivy League colleges and universities are some of the oldest and most renowned in the United States. The term “Ivy League” has become synonymous with academic excellence, with each school consistently ranked among the best in the world. With this history comes some of the oldest infrastructure and utility distribution systems in the country.

Most of the Ivy League district energy systems date back over a century and have been modernized from single coal-burning heating plants to multipurpose, multiplant energy systems. But what happens below the surface at these elite schools? How do the networks deliver district energy when they are invisible to thousands of students, faculty, staff and visitors? RMF Engineering Inc. has had the opportunity to be a part of many exciting recent developments to the district energy systems at these prestigious schools.